Our FIFA Club World Cup Fantasy 2025 team previews continue with Al Ahly, a side who have dominated Egyptian football for two decades and indeed been at the summit of African club competition in recent years.
As ever, you’ll find top goalscorers, leading assist-makers, a rough predicted XI and our pick of the players for FIFA Club World Cup Fantasy.
- READ MORE: FIFA Club World Cup Fantasy 2025: Palmeiras – Best players, predicted XI + more
- READ MORE: FIFA Club World Cup Fantasy 2025: Porto – Best players, predicted XI + more
- READ MORE: How to play the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Fantasy game
AL AHLY: OVERVIEW
Al Ahly qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 as winners of the CAF Champions League in 2020/21, 2022/23 and 2023/24.
It wasn’t to be this season, however. The Egyptian side weren’t convincing in the group stage, dropping points in three of their six matches (albeit one game after already securing qualification).
They were then edged out in the semi-finals on away goals by Mamelodi Sundowns.
They fared better on the domestic front, though, claiming their third successive league title on the final day of the season with a 6-0 win over Pharco, to pip Pyramids FC at the summit by two points.
They’d not tasted ‘on-field’ defeat all season, either in the regular campaign or in the subsequent play-offs. Their only loss was to Zamalek, whom Al Ahly refused to play in a dispute over match officials. Their old rivals were subsequently awarded a 3-0 victory without a ball being kicked.
Ignoring that technical defeat, they conceded only 15 goals in 24 Egyptian Premier League fixtures.
The Club World Cup is, of course, a huge step up. We need only to look back to December and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, when they failed to get past Mexican side Pachuca for the right to play Real Madrid in the final.
The bookmakers, indeed, make them the outsiders in Group A, albeit not quite a whipping boy in the mould of Auckland City or Wydad Casablanca.
Is there a chance of a ‘new manager bounce’, too? José Riveiro has arrived as the new head coach in the last week, so there’s something of the unknown heading into the tournament.
Group fixtures
Bookies predictions
| To Qualify | To Win Group | |
|---|---|---|
| Palmeiras | 59.0% | 31.1% |
| FC Porto | 61.8% | 37.6% |
| Al Ahly | 30.8% | 9.0% |
| Inter Miami | 48.4% | 22.3% |
League Top Scorers
- Emam Ashour ($4.7m, MID) – 13
- Wessam Abou Ali ($4.2m, FWD) – 10
- Hussein El Shahat ($5.0m, MID) – 5
League Top Assist-Makers
- Emam Ashour ($4.7m, MID) – 7
- Nejc Gradisar ($4.2m, FWD) – 5
- Hussein El Shahat ($5m, MID) – 5
Set-piece takers
Penalties
- Emam Ashour ($4.7m, MID)
- Marwan Attia ($4.7m, MID)
Ashour had a patchy record over the winter, missing two of his three penalties, and Attia stepped up to take and score the next two. However, Ashour took and scored Al Ahly’s last penalty in May.
Corners and free-kicks
- Emam Ashour ($4.7m, MID)
- Wessam Abou Ali ($4.2m, FWD)
Top Fantasy picks
Wessam Abou Ali ($4.2m) – FWD
Wessam Abou Ali highlighted his class on the final match of the season when, with his side requiring a result to win their 45th title, he rattled off four goals (including a direct free-kick) and an assist to inspire the Red Devils to a 6-0 victory.
The Denmark-born Palestine international has been a talisman for the side since joining in 2023. He scored 18 goals (in all competitions) in his first season in Cairo and 15 this time around, in addition to four assists.
Emam Ashour ($4.7m) – MID
With the most goal contributions in back-to-back seasons, Emam Ashour is that asset Fantasy managers love: a midfielder who rattles off goals and assists for fun.
The fiery Egyptian has had his fair share of disciplinary problems this season for both club and country but is a firm fan favourite for his exuberant skill, end-product and committed approach to the game.
Though he has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League, he is expected to showcase his talents at this tournament.
And with an xGI/90 of 0.90 in the Egyptian league this season, there’s a decent chance that he’ll be involved if his side does find the net.
Providing he does indeed retain penalty-taking responsibility, along with his other duties on set plays, then he’s possible the pick of the Red Devils’ midfielders.
Mohamed El Shanawy ($4.1m) – GK
Let’s be honest: Al Ahly players in general are going to be a tough sell to Fantasy managers.
Even more so, representatives of their defence, given that we’re not short of bargains at the back elsewhere.
El Shanawy is at least available at a near-rock-bottom price, for those managers not wanting to splash out on big bucks for a second goalkeeper.
The veteran custodian is the club captain, and not far off his testimonial year at Al Ahly.
Capped 64 times by the Egyptian national team, he kept clean sheets in eight of his 18 league appearances this season. It was six shut-outs in 11 in the CAF Champions League.
More pertinently, perhaps, he was unbeaten in regulation play in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup in December, shutting out Al-Ain and Pacheco before Al Ahly were defeated on penalties by the latter.
Early Predicted XI
A new manager coming in is one complicating factor, as is the arrival of new signings like Trezeguet ($4.0m) – of Aston Villa fame! – and midfielder Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane ($4.0m).
Another winger, Zizo, will soon be added to the squad, but it’s not clear at the time of writing when exactly his signature will be secured.
Aliou Dieng ($4.0m) has also just returned from a loan spell in Saudi Arabia.
